I was waiting for the Taz 7 to be released since it has been a year and a half since the Taz 6. I decided to get a "cheap" printer instead but I am glad I chose this one.
I had the machine together in about 20 minutes including unboxing. Put the machine on a flat surface and the tower will sort of self align (use a right angle to make sure it is 90 degrees), put the four screws in, connect the motor cables (which are labeled!) and DO NOT forget to connect the black ribbon cable from the extruder to the base! (The manual does not mention this). I leveled the Z axis by spinning the motor shafts until I could loosely wiggle a circuit board under each side. The initial height does not matter, only that the rods are level.
Tighten EVERYTHING including the set screws on the X axis rods. Mine came loose and my Z axis would not home. If you are having Z axis issues unscrew the belt, loosen the X axis rods then wiggle them to realign them then put everything back together.
To level the bed, home the Z axis with the four screws on the bed at the lowest position (so it does not strike the bed). Use the Tools -> Move command to place the nozzle at the four corners of the black print surface. Use a business card inbetween the nozzle and the bed then turn the screw until you just feel friction on the business card. The built in home function misses the back left corner for some reason.
Loading filament is easy, just cut a small piece off at 45 degrees to prevent clogs, place the filament into the extruder by pressing the black lever until it stops. Use the load filament command until a little filament oozes out. Unloading is pretty similar, heat it up and use the unload command to remove it.
The included sd card includes a few models and I was able to just barely print 3 of them with the included sample filament. I think they are set to be high precision to impress the user - they take about 2-3 hours to print but do come out very well.
I am using Solidworks to generate my STL files but you may want to head over to Thingiverse to grab some premade stuff. This is where the fun begins - slicing. There are several slicers in free, freemium, online, and paid. I prefer Cura since it is simple and works. Slic3r is a good alternative. If you have a Raspberry Pi then you can try Octoprint (Incredibly easy to get running by the way). There is also Simplify3D but I do not recommend it since it cost $150 for two installations and requires you to log in to use the desktop program (good luck when their servers go down). Slicers are a whole different topic but if you chose Cura, you can use the Prusa i3 (which this unit is based off of) or you can add your own printer and specify a 200x200 and 180 height bed with a 0.4mm nozzle and 1.75mm filament with a rectangle bed that is heated. The included Cura version on the SD card is outdated and I believe you can import the included gcode to generate a modern cura profile.
Once you are confident in the machine then find a better Spool holder, filament cooling fan shroud, Z axis brace then your prints will turn out much better. The stock spool holder can jerk when feeding and cause Z axis artifacts while the stock filament fan shroud isn't directed enough. After those mods then you can start looking into adding a better Y axis plate, different print surfaces, and so on. The Select Plus is a 24v model, so if you upgrade the fan then be sure to use a 24v fan. You might also have to perform searches for the Wanhao duplicator i3 to find upgrade parts.
This machine is for tinkerer's so I did not mind having to play around with the X axis rods and can't count that against the machine. I did contact Monoprice support via their website chat and they told me they would send a replacement but I needed to do it though Amazon. I sent them an email but have not heard a response (it has been almost a week). The print quality out of the box is great, it has a large build surface, and was very easy to get running (including with octopi). Overall I think this is a great printer for the price range. It does not have the fancy features like auto leveling or dual extruders but this will satisfy the average hobbyist needs.
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From the manufacturer
Features
- Print Resolution: 100 microns (0.1 mm)
- Printing Speed: 70 mm/sec
- Build Area: 7.9" x 7.9" x 7.1" (200 x 200 x 180mm)
Factory Calibrated
Each individual printer is factory calibrated and includes a sample model printed on that printer
Maker Select Plus 3D Printer
Built upon the design of the Maker Select 3D Printer, the Maker Select Plus 3D Printer now features a unified design with an integrated control box and a smaller footprint. Like the previous models, the Maker Select Plus 3D Printer features a large 7.9" x 7.9" x 7.1" build area, but with a 50% faster print speed.
The LCD menu system has been upgraded to a large 3.25" touch screen system, with a simpler and easier to use design with on-the-fly print tuning options. The improved Anti-Jam MK10 extruder features a 0.4mm nozzle diameter and 100 micron layer resolution, allowing you to create smooth, high quality prints.
- Unified Design
- Easy-to-use touch screen user interface, and
- Simpler menu system
Features
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Print NowUnlike DIY kits, this printer comes almost fully assembled, requiring just 4 screws to secure the frame to the base and 2 screws to attach the filament holder. Additionally, the printer comes with everything you need, including sample PLA filament and a microSD card with sample 3D model files, ready to print! |
Compatible SoftwareWith the ability to use both open-source and commercial software, such as Cura, Repetier, or Simplify 3D, the Maker Select Plus 3D Printer is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. |
Large VolumeThe large 7.9" x 7.9" x 7.1" build area allows you to create larger, more complex, and more detailed models. |
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| MP Select Mini | MP Select Mini PRO | Maker Select Plus | Maker Plus 10 Mini | Maker Plus 10 | Ultimate | |
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| Build Area | 120x120x120mm | 120x120x120mm | 200x200x180mm | 200x200x180mm | 300x300x400mm | 200x200x175mm |
| Resolution | 100-300 micron | 100-300 micron | 100-400micron | 50-300 microns | 50-300 microns | 20-200micron |
| Printing Speed | up to 55 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 70 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 150 mm/s |
| Max Extruder Temp | 250℃ | 280℃ | 240℃ | 280℃ | 280℃ | 260℃ |
| Heated Build Plate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Removable Plate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Filament Sensor | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Calibration | Manual leveling | Assisted leveling | Manual leveling | Assisted leveling | Assisted leveling | Manual leveling |
| Connectivity | Color LCD Screen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Color TouchScreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Touchscreen, SD Card, USB | Touchscreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Touchscreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | LCD Screen, USB, SD Card |
| Supported Slicing Software | Cura, Repetier-Host | Cura, Repetier-Host | Cura | Cura, Repetier-Host, KISSlicer | Cura, Repetier-Host, KISSlicer | Cura |
Videos
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Videos for this product
0:33
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Customer Review: Broke after 1.5 years. Wont extrude
DjTommyboy
Videos for this product
0:51
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Monoprice Maker Select Plus 3D Printer
Merchant Video
Reviews with images
Great price to performance if you're willing to tinker.
So, after having this product since the end of October, I have some great things I’d like to say about it.Packing:Packaging is pretty spot-on, made of dense foam for shock resistance, unfortunately my extruder head came bent a bit but it’s nothing you can’t bend back into place, just something to be aware of. I’ve included photos in the gallery.Setup:Setup is basically putting the gantry and control box together with the included nuts, I’d recommend using your own Alan set as the included one is a bit too short to use normally. Once that’s complete, the wires are letter labeled to connect to the corresponding ends. Once ribbon cable connects the control box and the extruder assembly and you’re ready to get on with your test print. The manual is highly recommended for this part, but not for others as I’ll get into later on.Configuration:• Hatchbox PLA (Black, blue red)• Bed Temp: 50c• Extruder temp: 195c• Print speed: 80mm/s (Max 150mm/s)Pros:• Prints are excellent to say the least, there’s a low poly Charmander I’ve posted in the gallery and it’s flawless.• UI is easy to use due to the touch-screen; the assisted leveling feature under the tools setting is very convenient.• Accessories are plentiful, including a .4mm drillbit, extra buildtak-like material (this isn’t real buildtak but close), deadly sharp spatula, sample filament, USB cable and a 4GB memory card with the included Monoprice modified version of CURA, don’t delete it as I can’t find it anywhere else online.• Relatively quiet compared to other i3 clones, I wouldn’t have it in the same room but once you’re out it’s hard to hear.• Has no issue loading/unloading filament, although I would recommend using a filament filter with silicone oil if you’d like to extend the life of the extruder/hotend.• Haven’t tried any other filament with it yet like ABS or PETG, wouldn’t recommend ABS unless you have an enclosure for it since ABS needs the ambient temperature to be relatively warm. It’s a standard mk-10 extruder you shouldn’t have any issues with it.• Heated build plate works as advertised, maybe too well as it’s terribly easy to take off prints right after they’re complete with the included remover.Cons:• As stated by other reviews, the Z-limit switch will have to be moved one notch up as it collides with the bottom left nut of the tension wheels on the top of the build plate, even if the tension is completely turned.• Instruction manual leaves a lot to be desired in the later sections, as it’s blatantly show the wrong location to level the bed and for various other settings, I had to go through the UI on my own and try it out to figure out the various settings.• Power switch stopped working on me one day, took it apart to find out one of the terminals connecting the power port became unplugged.Although these are minor gripes, they’re important to list due to the improvement of quality control of the product.I’d easily recommend this product to someone who has been researching and doing their due diligence in 3D printing to know enough to get started, not someone who knows nothing about the concept and just wants to print.Hope you find this helpful.
Top reviews from other countries
Gustavo
Muy buen funcionamiento, pero tienes que imprimir muy lento
Reviewed in Mexico on February 29, 2020Kurtis J McArthur
A really good 3D Printer.
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2017
Kurtis J McArthur
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2017
Pros- Easy to use interface, large print area for price range, wide range of filaments, quiet,
Cons- Poorly written manual,
Images in this review
